Sparks in the Darkness
by SparkstormOfThunderClan
Summary: Many moons ago Darkfrost murdered his brother Lizardstar in cold blood. He swore revenge on ThunderClan and its current leader before his death. Will revenge come in the form of a young apprentice? Sparkpaw wants nothing more than to be the best warrior she can be; will she give in to Darkfrost? With betrayal, questioned loyalties and a frowned upon love, Sparkpaw is in for a ride.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

Allegiances:

 **ThunderClan**

Leader: Silverstar-battle-scarred silver tabby tom with black stripes and piercing forest-green eyes

Deputy: Weaselscar-jet-black tom with icy-blue eyes and a scar running down his left shoulder; Apprentice: Blazepaw

Medicine Cat: Sparrowflight-brown tabby she-cat with white paws and underbelly; Apprentice: Firepaw

Warriors:

Toadnose-black and white tom with amber eyes

Batfur-black and brown tortoiseshell tom with amber eyes

Splashnight-black she-cat with sky-blue eyes; Apprentice: Sparkpaw

Hazelflash-golden tabby she-cat with hazel-colored eyes.

Articwind-gray and white tom with emerald-green eyes; Apprentice: Amberpaw

Brightshade-white she-cat with a single gray ear and green eyes; Apprentice: Blackpaw

Owlspeck-brown tom with darker brown specks

Spiderclaw-brown tom with amber eyes; Apprentice: Snakepaw

Driftbranch-dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

Crowtalon-dark gray tom with golden eyes

Briarspots-gray she-cat with darker gray flecks

Ashshadow-gray she-cat with darker gray flecks; Apprentice: Cloudpaw

Oakclaw-ginger tom with green eyes

Skyfrost-ginger tom with green eyes

Goldencloud-golden she-cat with blue eyes

Nightsky-black she-cat with amber eyes

Deertail-brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentices:

Sparkpaw-golden she-cat with a single white paw and sapphire blue eyes

Blazepaw-ginger and black colored tom with a white paw and blue eyes

Firepaw-ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Amberpaw-black and brown she-cat with amber eyes

Blackpaw-black tom with amber eyes

Snakepaw-dark brown tabby tom with a white splotch on chest

Cloudpaw-light gray tom with green eyes

Queens:

Emberstreak-ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes; Mother of Toadnose's kits

Elders:

Ravenclaw- black and white tom with green eyes

Stumpytail-brown tom with half a tail

 **RiverClan**

Leader: Acornstar-light brown tabby tom with darker paws and a white-tipped tail

Deputy: Coldcreek-gray and white tom with ice-blue eyes; Apprentice: Beetlepaw

Medicine Cat: Mintleaf-solid brown she-cat with black-tipped ears and light green eyes

Warriors:

Nutfur-brown tom with white paws and underbelly

Puddlewhisker-dark-gray tom with blue eyes

Petalpool-dark-gray she-cat with amber eyes

Raccoonmask-gray tabby tom with black fur around his eyes; Apprentice: Juniperpaw

Reedspots-brown tabby tom with darker brown flecks

Wolfstorm-gray tom with white paws and underbelly

Twilightsky-blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes

Troutwhisker-black tom with amber eyes; Apprentice: Barkpaw

Flowerstep-brown she-cat with green eyes

Lakeshine-solid gray she-cat with amber eyes

Warmspots-solid gray tom with green eyes

Fishtail-black and gray tom with a long tail

Dawnwatcher-pure white she-cat with yellow eyes

Willowsplash-white she-cat with yellow eyes and black ear tips

Apprentices:

Beetlepaw-black tom with amber eyes

Juniperpaw-gray she-cat with green eyes

Sootpaw-black tom with green eyes

Queens:

Swanfeather-white she-cat with blue eyes

Leaffall-brown tabby she-cat

 **WindClan**

Leader: Flintstar-dark-gray, almost black tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Ripplestep-light gray tom with a white tail tip; Apprentice: Honeypaw

Medicine Cat: Dewdrop-black she-cat with green eyes; Apprentice: Cloverpaw

Warriors:

Kestrelfang-brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Appletail-dark ginger tom with amber eyes

Blizzardgaze-white and gray tom with blue eyes

Cinderleaf-white and gray she-cat with green eyes

Cherryfur-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Rapidfoot-dark-gray tom with long legs; Apprentice: Tinypaw

Birchclaw-light brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Spottedthorn-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Raventalon-black and white tom with blue eyes

Rabbitfang-white tom with blue eyes and a single black paw

Plumstem-black she-cat with green eyes

Ashenfur-ash-gray she-cat with green eyes

Apprentices:

Honeypaw-golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Tinypaw-small white tom with black paws

Wasppaw-black tom with white paws and ears

Cloverpaw-ginger she-cat with green eyes

Queens:

Briarbrook-gray she-cat with green eyes

Hareclaw-light brown she-cat with yellow eyes

Elders:

Fallenleaf-brown tabby tom with dark blue eyes

Breezeclaw-gray tom with yellow eyes

 **ShadowClan**

Leader: Eveningstar-dark-ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy: Miststone-gray she-cat with a darker gray stripe running down her back

Medicine Cat: Pinebreeze-dark brown tom with white paws

Warriors:

Hawksplash-brown and white tom with blue eyes

Buzzardshadow-brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Stagleap-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Darkfire-dark-gray tom with amber eyes

Beaverstep-brown and black tom with green eyes

Brindlestrike-gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Stoneriver-gray tom with amber eyes

Smokepelt-gray tom with black paws

Toadfoot-black and white tom with unusually large paws

Badgerstrike-black and white tom with green eyes

Eaglesoar-brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Apprentices:

Weaselpaw-gray tom with green eyes

Flowerpaw-gray she-cat with green eyes

Falconpaw-brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Queens:

Sandstream-ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes

Berryfrost-white she-cat with green eyes

Elders:

Newtshadow-black tom with amber eyes

Alderclaw-brown tabby tom with green eyes

Prologue

Night had fallen fast upon the land. No more than an hour ago the sky was painted with hues of red, orange and blue, but all color had faded leaving only a blackened sky with no stars to be looked upon. The darkness was thick, making the black tom that padded through the area blend in like a shadow. The only parts of him that could be seen were his single snow-colored paw and his blue eyes. They weren't soft and inviting like most, they were intense and cold, like ice.

The shadowy tom climbed up a tall ledge at the end of the clearing, pushing through some bramble tendrils and entering a small den. In the back of the den lay a single black and white tom, his flank rising and falling slowly in the rhythm of sleep. The dark cat stepped forward until he was towering above the sleeping cat, a wicked grin breaking out and revealing sharp white teeth. He raised his white paw and quickly brought it down to slash the other cat's throat, staining it red. The sleeping cat awoke and started to gasp, sticky blood flowing out of the deep wound. The dying cat peered into the shadowy cat's frozen irises, and he felt an electrical chill run down his spine. The other cat simply grinned and started to lick the crimson off his paw. The black and white cat's head fell back and his eyes dulled, signifying death.

The living stared at the dead for a few heartbeats, and in a voice deep like a low roll of thunder meowed quietly. "One life left, just as I suspected. You're pathetic. Letting a sickness that barely killed any take so many lives from you." He shook his head. "Now it is my time. No longer will I live in your shadow. I killed you, your precious deputy is next, and this clan will be mine."

The dark cat turned to leave the den, but the entrance was filled with a silver figure, whose forest green eyes were wide with shock and horror. "Darkfrost…? What?" The silver cat sputtered with a shaking voice.

Darkfrost cursed and growled lowly. "Speak and he shall appear…" He unsheathed his claws, eying the clan deputy carefully. He knew if he lunged right now, he could knock the two of them out of the den, possibly waking up the clan. But if he waited for the silver deputy to attack, he could possibly use the younger cat's shock against him and overpower him.

However, things didn't go like Darkfrost planned. The silver tabby swiped his paw at the ground propelling a cloud of sand and dirt into Darkfrost's eyes. The black cat hissed in pain, and his vision was blurred. The silver tom attacked while Darkfrost was distracted and landed a scratch on his face. Darkfrost's blood splattered on the sandy floor, mixing with the dead cat's, and Darkfrost lunged trying to go for the deputy's throat. He failed however, due to his impaired vision. The silver tabby landed a few more blows, and managed to pin the dark colored murderer on the ground.

"How could you?" The deputy of ThunderClan growled, trying to sound powerful, but his voice only portrayed hurt and grief. "How could you kill your own brother? Our leader?"

"He was weak!" Darkfrost spat. "And so are you, Silverflame. I should have been leader of this clan, but Adderstar was a fool!"

"If I'm so weak," Silverflame snarled. "How come I defeated you?"

"Dumb luck." Was Darkfrost's simple response.

A few minutes later the Clan's medicine cat apprentice, Sparrowpaw, entered the den after waking up to the commotion. Silverflame sent the young brown she-cat to fetch her mentor and to wake the rest of the clan.

After the rest of the clan was awake, Silverflame lept on the highledge and meowed. "Cats of ThunderClan! Darkfrost, one of our own warriors, has just murdered Lizardstar in cold blood." A collection of gasps sounded throughout the clan, and he continued. "He planned to kill me as well, and try to take over the clan. Now he will pay the price. How should we punish him?" He turned to look at the dark cat, who was currently sitting, weak and defeated, next to Cloudyspots, the medicine cat glaring at the deputy with a snarl on his face.

"Exile!"

"Injure him more and leave him for dead!"

"Kill him!"

A majority of the clan was for killing the murderous cat. He nodded at his clan and yowled. "The punishment is death." He turned to Darkfrost. "Any last words traitor?"

Darkfrost grinned and raised his voice for the clan to hear. "This is not the end of me. You can kill me now, but I'll still live in spirit in the Dark Forest. I'll return, somehow. And when I do, Silverflame, you'll be crowfood. You and this clan!"

It took everything in Silverflame's body not to waver at his words. He stared at Darkfrost evenly and meowed. "Lionfang, kill him."

A light ginger tom stepped out of the crowd, and jumped at Darkfrost. He clamped his jaws onto his throat and snapped it, killing him instantly. Silverflame let out a deep sigh, and dismissed the clan. Cloudyspots began to drag Darkfrost's limp body out of camp, and Silverflame turned to go to the leader's den to retrieve his dead leader for the clan to grieve, but froze when he heard a chilling voice whisper in his ear.

 _This isn't over Silverflame. I'll get my revenge, one way or another._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A young she-cat emerged drowsily from the apprentice's den, shaking out her golden pelt and taking in the sunlight. The warm sun rays kissed her pelt lightly, warming her from the inside out. It was a beautiful newleaf day, and she was eager to start her daily training. Next to her, a cat with the colors of mud and shade exited the den as well, and gave the golden she-cat a smile. She smiled back and spoke her first words of the day. "Good morning, Amberpaw. Sleep well?"

"I did." Her friend replied. "Articwind exhausted me with battle-training yesterday, so I was eager for some sleep. How about you, Sparkpaw?"

Sparkpaw frowned. She actually had trouble sleeping the previous night. She was kept awake from an unusual amount of cold for newleaf and a strange voice whispering in her head. When she had finally fallen asleep, she dreamt of a dark, shadowy figure with a piercing, cold gaze.

Sparkpaw decided not to trouble her friend with this however, and merely shrugged. "I guess, I had a bit of trouble sleeping, but I think I got enough."

"I hope so," Amberpaw mewed. "Our mentors are taking us hunting, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." Sparkpaw assured. "What are the other apprentices doing?"

"The others are battle training. Well, other than Blazepaw. Weasalscar is taking Blazepaw hunting as well, but not with us because apparently they are 'too cool' to go hunting with us normal warriors and apprentices." Amberpaw meowed with a bit of envy in her tone.

Sparkpaw rolled her eyes. "I think six cats is too much for a hunting patrol, that's why." She nudged her friend playfully. "You need to stop being jealous of Blazepaw."

"I'm trying, but it's hard not to be when your mentor is never proud of anything you do and your friend has the deputy of all cats." Amberpaw muttered.

"Just give it time, it's only been a quarter moon since we started training. You'll be impressing Articwind in no time!" Sparkpaw reassured her.

Amberpaw smiled and replied. "I hope you're right."

"Come on, let's find our mentors."

Sometime later, the two apprentices and their mentors were in the forest and finally started hunting. Streams of sunlight fell through the thick wall of trees, filling up every space between the leaves with warm, sugary light. The rays tumbled down strands of grass, which gleamed with remains of the morning dew. The prey was plentiful, the two mentors were easily able to demonstrate the hunting crouch and catch a few mice.

Amberpaw spotted another mouse, and glanced at her mentor for permission. Articwind replied with a simple flick of his tail, and Amberpaw went for her kill. She crouched down, mimicking the movements of her mentor from earlier. She pounced and landed on the small creature, killing it with a swift bite to the neck. Sparkpaw was impressed by how quickly Amberpaw got the crouch down, and hoped she could do the same.

Her friend looked up at her mentor with a gleam in her eyes, and her mentor simply replied, "Good work." in a stoic tone. Sparkpaw saw the pride in his eyes though, and mentally noted to tell Amberpaw she told her so later.

"Let's see if you can do the same, Sparkpaw." Her mentor, Splashnight's, cheery voice meowed from behind her. The black she-cat looked down at her apprentice and continued. "What do you smell?"

Sparkpaw lifted her snout and sniffed. A familiar scent filled her nostrils. It wasn't a mouse, but another rodent. "Vole." She concluded.

"Good work." Her mentor praised. "See if you can catch it."

The golden apprentice moved quietly, the other three cats watching her intently. She swallowed down her nervousness and located the small rodent. It was very small and gray with a stout body, a short hairy tail, a slightly round head and small ears and eyes. She crept silently towards it, careful to avoid any sticks or leaves that could give her away, and pounced. She grabbed the vole and killed it swiftly. She stared down at her catch proudly.

 _So much potential…_

Sparkpaw froze. The voice from last night!

She looked up and to her horror, the shadowy figure from her dream was in front of her. Its gaze shook her to her core and she could have sworn she saw a smirk on its face.

"Sparkpaw? What happened? What are you staring at?" She heard Splashnight approach her.

Sparkpaw turned to look at her, shaking. "Don't you see it? The shadowy figure?"

The black she-cat looked confused. "What shadowy figure? There's nothing there."

Sparkpaw turned around and to her shock it was gone. The only thing in front of her was the dead vole.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Sparkpaw, look at me." Sparkpaw was laying in her nest in the apprentice's den, Amberpaw sitting next to her and staring at her best friend with concern in her amber orbs. "Are you okay?"

"No." Sparkpaw meowed curtly. "I'm freaked out. None of you saw that besides me?"

Amberpaw shook her head. "No, but I believe that you saw something. It's not like you to make things up."

"Articwind thought I was." The gray and white senior warrior assumed that Sparkpaw faked seeing the shadow in an attempt to get out of hunting for the day. Splashnight had given him a mouthful after that, but it still bothered the golden apprentice.

"Articwind is a fox-heart!" Amberpaw snarled. "How dare he say that? You were shaking! You were terrified!"

Sparkpaw only sighed at Amberpaw's response. Sure it was a bit cruel of the warrior to assume something like that, but Sparkpaw saw where he was coming from. He certainly didn't deserve to be called a fox-heart.

"Sparkpaw‒" Amberpaw started, but was cut off by Sparkpaw.

"I think I should get some sleep."

Amberpaw nodded. "Okay, but I'm not leaving you." She curled up in the nest next to Sparkpaw, and Sparkpaw felt her heart flutter at her friend's gesture.

"You don't‒"

"Shut up, yes I do. You're still shaking. I can _feel_ it." Amberpaw stated matter-of-factly. "You can't put anything past me mouse-brain."

Sparkpaw purred. "I see that. Okay, I give." She cuddled into her best friend and murmured. "Night."

"Goodnight, Sparkpaw."

The golden she-cat found herself in an unfamiliar area. It was a dark, shadowy forest with lots of tall, dank, gray trees with fungus growing on them. The air was cold, thick, foggy and damp and there was an echoing silence. The forest had a black and starless sky, but was near impossible to see due to the height of the trees. Mist wreathed on the thick, sticky, forest floor that lacked grass.

She looked around nervously and noticed something in the darkness. As it got closer, she realized it was the shadowy figure that had been haunting her. "What are you!" She yowled, backing up a bit.

"Relax." The figure spoke, and Sparkpaw realized it was the same voice that she had kept hearing in her head. "I will not harm you."

The figure stepped out of the shadows and appeared as an actual cat, not just a shadow of one. He was a black tom with a darker pattern and a single white paw like her own. He had one nick in his right ear and one on his left. His muzzle and left cheek was scarred, and his eyes were the same chilling blue as his shadowy form. "I am Darkfrost. I am here to help you."

"Help me?" She echoed.

"Yes, I can see the potential in you. You want to be the best warrior you can be? I can help you achieve that."

"You can?" Sparkpaw asked.

The black tom nodded. "I was a ThunderClan warrior many moons ago, I almost became leader actually. Unfortunately, I died before that time came." He paused. "You are like many other apprentices. You strive to be the best warrior of your clan, potentially leader. I have many seasons of experience, and even now I still train and hone my skills. I can teach you everything I know, even moves the warriors of your clan don't teach you."

"You can teach me moves that Splashnight can't?"

"Yes," He replied. "The advantages of being a StarClan warrior are you learn the fighting styles of the other clans, and some that have been lost over the years."

"Wow…" Sparkpaw murmured. "You can really teach me all of that?"

"I can…if you want." He told her. Sparkpaw pondered his offer. Why her? She didn't understand why he chose her of all cats. Another thing that crossed the young cat's mind was that he didn't look like a StarClan warrior from what she was aware of from elder's tales. They said StarClan cats leave starry paw prints, their eyes shine like stars, and their pelts glow with a strange light that makes them look like they have stars in their fur. Why didn't Darkfrost look like that?

"Why doesn't your pelt glow?" Sparkpaw had to ask.

"I see. You're untrusting because I don't look like a normal StarClan cat. Understandable, but I assure you, I am. StarClan cats can make themselves appear like normal cats. We can change forms."

 _Oh. Duh._ Sparkpaw thought to herself. Of course he could change his appearance, he was a shadow earlier for StarClan's sake!

"Okay then…I'll train with you!"

"Excellent." He purred. "Training starts tomorrow. I must warn you…it's not easy."

Sparkpaw nodded.

"You run along now, it's almost morning." Darkfrost meowed.

"Uh, where do I go?"

"Just walk. You'll wake up eventually."

Sparkpaw started to pad away. She didn't notice the evil smirk that overtook Darkfrost's features, and started to fade from her dream.


End file.
